Afternoon editor, brisbanetimes.com.au

The Metro North Health Service has rejected rumours it will announce the axing of 1000 jobs on Wednesday in light of a reduction in federal and state funding, but says cuts are more than likely on the horizon.

Responding to speculation on Tuesday night, MNHS chief executive Keith McNeil said any cuts would form part of a wide ranging campaign to save costs, but its plan to deal with its budgetary changes were still being formulated and no announcements were imminent.

Professor McNeil said the MNHS would have about $130 million less to work with in the next financial year.

"That $130 million we'll have to find through numerous ways. We'll do it through finding efficiencies – reducing length of stays, spending less on pathology, buying cheaper drugs, changing procurements, trying to reduce overtime, improving rostering practices..." he said.

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"But the reality is at the end of the day about three quarters of what we spend we spend on workforce – paying wages – so if we are going to reduce our budget by $130 million, it will imply that there will be a reduction in the staff wages, which means reducing staff numbers."

Professor McNeil said he expected to announce any job cuts to staff in mid-February.

"We have to do it because there’s a lag time in terms of getting anything implemented through the system and we have to have be in the position at the end of the financial year where we have achieve all these efficiences so when we move forward into the next financial year they are already bedded in and we start that [year] on a sustainable base," he said.

"We are very mindful of the human cost of this, that there are people and families and whatnot at the end of it, and that’s why we are trying to do this in as careful and considered way as we possibly can while bearing in mind that we have to work within the resources that we are given and we don’t have a choice in that matter.

"We have to do what the taxpayer will expect of us so we can put our hand on our heart and say to the taxpayer that we are providing you with very good value for your dollar."

Professor McNeil said he expected the rumour about imminent job cuts were sparked by a Monday night meeting with medical staff about how to address the health service's new budget constraints.

48 comments

More frontline job cuts courtesy of the NewMan...

What I don't understand is why some people think its ok for him to have lied to the people before the election?

Commenter

John Michaels

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 1:57AM

Why was it ok for Julia to lie to us about a carbon tax? All politicians tell fibs (Newman); only a few tell outright lies (Julia).

Commenter

No Carbon Tax

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 9:20AM

Pretty sure the NewMan told outright lies. You people that complain about the carbon tax are funny. Both sides wanted to bring in a carbon tax. John Howard wanted to bring in a carbon tax. Malcolm Turnbull wanted to bring in a carbon tax. Even tony Abbott wanted to bring in a carbon tax. The only reason he changed his mind was because he became the opposition leader and started opposing for the sake of opposing. I don't know about you but the carbon tax has made zero difference in my life. All these new unemployed have made a massive difference. 7000 public servants have lost their jobs so far and another 15,000 private sector jobs have gone. That puts QLD 2nd for unemployment numbers with only Tasmania worse off. What happens when the other 7000 get paid off and another 15,000 private sector workers find themselves out of work? So much for the NewMan 4 percent unemployment promise. Oh but that was only a fib right...

Commenter

John Michaels

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 10:35AM

What a ridiculous response by "No Carbon Tax".

How did you interpret John Michael's post as being an endorsement of Julia Gillard? This is a story about a state government issue.

Are you saying that every time someone wants to mention Campbell Newman breaking an election promise, they have to mention Julia Gillard as well (along with every other politician that broke promises)?

Take your partisan blinkers off for a second and treat each issue on its merits.

Commenter

JustSomeGuy

Location

Brisbane

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 10:45AM

I think the fact that BT is reporting on a rumour instead facts doesn't say a lot about the article in the first place. There isn't even mention of where the rumour was started. Are we just making up stories now? I heard a rumour that BT was going to give unbiased reporting...., then again?

Commenter

Oscar

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 12:48PM

Over1000 staff to go - got to be an enormous loss of capacity - skill and training - good thing we dumped the smart state thing

Commenter

Beeper

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 5:52AM

Prof. Rambles just bought three more weeks of speculation and instability.

Commenter

Gomez

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 5:55AM

Forgive me if I sound silly. But how can Metro North possibly loose 130 million off it's budget and keep providing what remains an ordinary health service. They already send people home too early. They already deny them expensive medications. They already don't have enough staff. They already have unacceptable waiting lists. And they will be cutting back on tests? What next? Self service emergency departments?

Commenter

Bob

Location

Greenslopes

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 7:07AM

The Prince Charles Hospital is in the process of losing more than half of its Cardiac surgical beds. How many more cuts can we survive...

Or how many patients will survive the cuts???

Another consideration: with the mulititude of cuts, making waiting times far far longer, we are set to lose MORE federal funding which is dependant on keeping waiting times within certain limits.

It just gets better and better.

Commenter

Northside

Location

Chermside

Date and time

January 23, 2013, 10:01AM

I should clarify those bed losses were put in process BEFORE this new development. (They are in the first round of cuts, this is the second round on its way.)

Hodson's daughter: Witness protection not safe

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